*(Front) Trade Viceroys Nute Gunray and Rune Haako stand before the hologram of Lord Darth Sidious. Upset that the Republic government has dispatched two Jedi as investigating ambassadors, Sidious orders them destroyed. "This turn of events is unfortunate," he tells Gunray. "We must accelerate our plans, Viceroy. Begins landing your troops." Nute is a little startled by these extreme demands, but nevertheless complies with them.